Deluxe "Financing an Empire" on California
Cross, Ira B. FINANCING AN EMPIRE: HISTORY OF BANKING IN CALIFORNIA. Chicago: S.J. Clark Publishing, 1927. Four volumes, complete. 4to, original embossed brown cloth, decorated in gold and white; top page edges gilt; vibrantly mottled endpapers. Frontispiece; xii, 7–526; (2), 527–1002; 531, (1); 448 pages; illustrated throughout. Near fine. A complete set of the very scarce deluxe edition of the California volumes. An impressive work, both in appearance and content. The first two volumes provide a detailed history of California as seen through the eyes of finance, with considerable numismatic information. "A sincere attempt has been made to present the history of every bank established in the state from the days of the gold rush to the close of 1926," Cross writes in his Preface. The first volume is devoted to the 19th century, as are the opening chapters of the second, giving much information on the unique complications existing in California's economy of the period. Chapters on coinage and paper money are to be found in the first volume, while the second volume takes the history through to the time of publication. Illustrations include many of the people behind the early California banks, and also depict private gold coinage (taken from the Adams volume), the first San Francisco Mint building and an early bank note. Volumes 3 and 4 are devoted to biographies of influential bankers still living at the time. An attractive set of a useful reference. Volumes in the Financing an Empire series were also published for Illinois and Pennsylvania. Davis 293 (citing only appearances of the regular edition).

plus-circle Add Review

comment

Reviews